Letters to the editor: Preserve Fort Monroe

This note is about the rumored fate of Fort Monroe becoming the property of Hampton once it is closed. I have visited many historical sites conserved as parks, museums, natural forests and educational institutions under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. I am grateful that wise people have seen fit to preserve these symbols of our nation's proud and honorable heritage for us. Now, as its importance as a military facility wanes, a vital part of our national heritage is at risk of being converted to a contemporary and shortsighted example of a developer's whim.

Fort Monroe, conceived as a defensive harbor fortification and garrison for troops, became a stronghold against those who wished to divide this nation during our Civil War. Witnessed from its bastions was a brief engagement by two unique ships whose designs have influenced naval architecture ever since. It was a safe haven for freed slaves.

Fort Monroe remained viable for our country's defense in the subsequent years and through two great world wars as a coastal artillery facility. Architecturally it is a unique and a complete example of an early 19th century coastal defense fortification.

Fort Monroe's bricks are a tribute to this country's struggle for freedom, and they stand to show our resolve to preserve those freedoms. Make Fort Monroe a national park.

Ray Reuter

Hayes

Bethel discrimination

Over the past three years the Hampton City Council has agreed on several occasions that we were living in dangerous traffic conditions along Big Bethel Road. Almost every member of this council has agreed that there would be measures taken to right this wrong.

On March 14, 2006, I received a letter informing me that nothing would be done to improve our dangerous traffic conditions and that our street would continue to be a major arterial street with ever-growing traffic volumes. It was noted that to do otherwise would adversely affect other neighborhoods by rerouting traffic. This decision displays the city's policy of discrimination, i.e., the sacrificing of less affluent neighborhoods to save those that are preferred. This preference is determined by the location of city officials' residences, the politically connected or simply more affluent residents.

I urge readers to contact our city's leaders at council@hampton.gov and insist that they stop discriminating and do the right thing. If the usual no response is received, voters should remember their names on Election Day.

Ashton Haywood

Hampton

Impeachment grounds

Where is the public and media outrage? Where is the call for impeachment? George Bush has caused more serious damage to our country than Bill Clinton.

Bush has committed a crime by acting outside the law in the matter of phone taps. He has often changed the rules concerning environmental standards to the detriment of the health of our citizens. He has failed to act promptly in times of national disasters, such as occurred in New Orleans. He has acted irresponsibly by granting large tax breaks to the wealthy. Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be responsible for paying this debt.

He is squandering national treasures by turning over control of national forests to the logging industry and mineral rights on federal property to the mining industry. He has, at best, disregarded intelligence data or, at worst, lied to us about the reasons to go to war. This war was to be paid for by Iraqi oil profits. In actuality, the war has cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars. In addition to money, it has cost more than 2,200 military lives and tens of thousands of wounded. He has reduced the number of people eligible for student loans or grants. He is attempting to hide his connection to Jack Abramoff. He is playing games with the health of our citizens with the confusing Medicare prescription drug plan and reductions in Medicaid monies.

And finally, he continues to say one thing and do another.

Robert D. Weaver

Hampton In lockstep

I never knew our esteemed Sen. George Allen was such an accomplished gymnast and dancer. But to do backward handspring flip-flops while simultaneously moon-walking away from the disastrous policies and incompetence of George Bush requires real skill.

It would be helpful to remember that Allen has supported the president on 96 percent of all initiatives - initiatives that have left us still vulnerable to terrorist attacks, unable to respond to natural disasters and resorting to deficit spending for years to come. Ninety-six percent support! You cannot be more of a rubber stamp than that.

There was a time when Virginia produced leaders who were truly independent, but now we have a senator waiting for the White House to call to give him his orders. It is so sad.

Andrew McNeil

Williamsburg

Inside the circus

I am not a member of PETA, but to Joni Foltz, author of the letter condemning PETA for demonstrating outside the circus in Hampton ("PETA's actions too much for kids," March 13), I must say: Your daughters "got it," but you didn't. That wasn't propaganda PETA showed; it was actual footage of the abuse entailed in "teaching" animals to do tricks for human amusement. I believe that her daughters' faces "turned from excitement to horror as they watched this video." Rightly so.

Foltz missed an important opportunity to bond with her children over animal rights. She could have understood their horror, turned her car around and decided to pursue some other fun activity that does not hurt animals.

Her daughters' innocence raised questions from her and society, and she could have used this experience to educate them about what goes on behind the scenes, instead of taking them to see the "magic" of the circus. Her letter ends with, "It hurt my children and subjected them to something they never should have seen." PETA didn't hurt her children; the cruelty they displayed on video was performed by circus personnel, not PETA. The circus hurt her children.

Of course we must be gentle in our approach to educating children in these matters, but teaching them to look away and not be "subjected" to the truth is not the answer. Education is the answer.

Robin Morrissey

Toano

School name

In naming the third high school in James City County I would like to see Native Americans recognized, and I mean literally. The Indians that inhabited James City County were the Pasbehegh Indians. Why not name it Pasbehegh High School?

We already have one school named after Jamestown. One writer suggested naming it James Cittie High School; James Cittie stands for Jamestown. One is named after a Revolutionary War hero, Lafayette.

Why not recognize our Native Americans? Without the Indians our settlers never would have made it, as they provided food for Jamestown.

Frank Driscoll

Toano

Billions more

Since taking office, President Bush has increased the national debt by more than $5 trillion. Our current budget deficit, the largest in the history of the United States, does not include the cost of the Iraq war, which so far has cost American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. That works out to thousand of dollars for every American family. Such is the cost of making Iraq safe for democracy. Had this same money been spent in the United States, President Bush could have rebuilt New Orleans and fixed Social Security.